Self-opening die-head



Nov. 26, 1935. A. F. BREITENSTEIN SELF OPENING DIE HEAD Filed April 27,1.954

Patented Nov. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PAT-EN T OFI-C E 2,022,273SELF-OPENING Dna-mim)V Albert F. Breitenstein, Newl Haven, Conn., as-

signor lto The Geometric Tool Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporationApplication Api-i127, 1934, serial No. 722,701

4 Claims.

acterized by fewness of parts, consequent low cost of manufacture andassembly, and freedomfrom derangement.

Another object is to provide a superior insidetrip. die-headcharacterized by ,compactness whereby a die-head of maximumthread-cutting size may be employed in screw-machines, etc., havinglimited space for the mounting of such tools.

A further object is to provide an efficient inside-trip die-head havinga simple and rugged construction, whereby the tool may betripped orreleased from the work either. by thelatter engaging with an abutment inthe interior of the die-head, or by means operable from the exterior ofthe die-head. Y

Still another object is to pro-vide .a die-head of the class referred toin which the likelihoodof jamming, due to chips, dirt, etc., is reduced.to a minimum.

Other objects and advantages will appeax` to `those skilled in the artfrom the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing and the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Eig. v1 is a view in side elevation of one .form which a self-openingdie-head embodying the present invention may assume;

Fig. 2 is a -view thereof in front-end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 3--3of Fig. 2, the parts being shownin the positions which they assume whenthe Vchasers are in their closed or cutting positions;

Fig. 4 is a View corresponding to Fig. 3 but showing the parts in thepositions which they assume when lthe die-head is tripped for thedisengagement of the chasers from the work;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view .taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3

Fig.v 6 is a similar View taken on the linev 6,-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig.k 7 is a broken detail view in longitudinal section taken on theline 'I-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a similar view taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the tripping- 5 sleeve, detahed; v

Fig.` 1071s a perspective View of the latch-member, Vdetached; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the guard-slide, detached. 4 i 1oTheself-opening die-headherein chosen as illustrative of the presentinvention includes, as shown, a body-member generally designated by lthereference numeral 2t and having a rearwardly-extending hollow shank 2iand. provided 15 at its forward end with an enlarged head-portion 22,which latter is formed in its foward face with four (more or less)radial Chaser-receiving slots 23,1in eachof which is mounted aradially-movable chaser ,24-

The chasers 24 just above referred to are retained in place in the`slots 23 in the head-portion v229i the body-memberZil` by means ofsegmental platesfand are each formed` at theirrespective outer endswith-a rearwardly-and-inwardly-slop- 25 ingcamsurface 2B. Thecam-surface 26 of each Chaser is engaged Aby a similarly-slopingcamsurface 21, one of whichlatter is formed adjacent each ofthe vsaidchasers upon the inner forward corner of a, cup-shaped Chaser-operatingsleeve 28,. The said Chaser-operating sleeve is mounted upon thebody-member with capacity for axial sliding movementvand bears at itsforward end upon the periphery of the head-portion 22 ofthe saidbody-member, and its rear end is interiorlythreaded for engagement witha, similar lbut exteriorly-threaded surface formed upon the peripheryofthe forward end oid-an adjusting-ring 29, which latter .reciprocatesat its rear-end upon the periphery of the body-member 2D, Under normal,(10 conditions, theadjusting-ring 29 moves asa unit with theChaser-operating sleeve 28 and may, for practical purposes, beconsidered a part thereof.

For the purpose of firmly interlocking the Chaser-operating sleeve28-and the adjusting-ring 15 29., a clamping-shoe 30 is provided whichis pressed into` engagement with the threaded portion of ,the saidadjusting-ring by meansvof a headless set-screw l3l mounted in therearend of the said chaser-operating sleeve, as clearlygillus- A50trated in Figs. 3 and 4.

Just rearwardly of `its head-portion and radially inline withtheadjusting-ring 29, the bodymember A20 isformed with a transverse notchor out V32 of sucient 4depth to intersect both its ,o5

outer periphery and its cylindrical axial bore 33, and accommodates alatch-member 34 of segmental form. The said latch-member is provided inits forward face with a V-shaped cut 35 providing aforwardly-and-inwardly-sloping camsurface 36, and bears in and is guidedby the front and rear walls of the notch 32 in the body-member 20. 'I'helatch-member 34 is also of sufficient depth in a radial direction toproject outwardly beyond the periphery of the body-member 29 andinwardly into` the axial bore 33 therein.

The outer forward corner of the latch-member 34 is adapted to engage onoccasion with an annular rearwardly-facing latching-shoulder or abutment3l formed within the adjusting-ring 29 for the purpose of releasablyholding the unit comprising the said adjusting-ring 29 and thechaseroperating sleeve 28, in its forward Chaser-closing positionagainst the counterurge of a pair of retracting-springs 553-38. The saidretractingsprings are respectively located at diametrically oppositepoints in the die-head structure and their forward ends bear against therear face of an adjacent one of the segmental plates 25. The rear end ofeach of the said springs 38 ts within a cup-shaped plunger 39, whichlatter thrusts against the forward edge of the adjusting-ring 29 andexerts a constant effort to move the same, together with theChaser-operating sleeve 28 in a direction rearwardly of the die-headstructure.

To provide for disengaging the forward outer corner of the latch-member34 from the annular latching-shoulder 31 in the adjusting-ring 29 toeffect the retirement of the chasers 24 outwardly, as will hereinafterappear, I mount in the enlarged forward end of the axial bore 33' in thebody-member 2U, a cylindrical tripping-sleeve 49 having a central axialpassage 4| and cut away on one side to provide a cam-surface 42 of thesame slope as and engaging with the cam-surface 36 of the latch-member34.

The tripping-sleeve 49 just above referred to is normally urgedforwardly by a spring 43 to permit the latch-member 34 to move outwardlyfor engagement with the latching-shoulder 3l. The said latch-member isurged outwardly in turn by a pair of complementary springs 44-44 (Fig.5) seated at their inner ends against the bottom wall of the notch 32 inthe body-member 29 and their outer ends extended into pockets 45-45 inthe inner face of the latch-member 34. The outward movement of thelatch-member 34 under the urge of the springs 44 just referred to islimited by a limiting-stud 49 mounted in the body-member 29 and havingits forward end projecting into a limiting-notch 4l in the outer rearcorner of the said latch-member 34.

Mounted in the axial passage 4| of the trippingsleeve 40 with capacityfor longitudinal adjustment therein, is a rod-like tripping-plunger 48having the rear portion of its periphery flattened as at 49 forengagement by the inner end of a headless set-screw 53 threaded into thesaid tripping-sleeve 43 and projecting outwardly through a longitudinalclearance-slot I in the adjacent portion of the body-member 29. Theouter end of the set-screw 59 is provided with a polygonal socket 52 andextends outwardly part Way through a dovetail guard-slide 53 mounted forreciprocation in a dovetail groove 54 formed in the rear portion of thebody-member 20 and extending longitudinally thereof. 'I'he guard-slide53 just referred to serves, as the set-screw 50 moves back and forth inthe slot 5I longitudinally of the body-member 20, to cover the said slotand prevent the entrance of chips, dirt, etc., thereinto. To prevent theturning movement but at the same time to permit relative axial movementof the Chaser-operating sleeve 28 with respect to the body-member 28, Iprovide complementary 5 segmental keys 55, each of which is seated inthe head-portion 22 of the body-member 20 and projects outwardly into alongitudinal keyway 56 formed in the interior of the Chaser-operatingsleeve 28, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. 10

Each of the chasers 24 hereinbefore referred to 1 is preferably providedwith individual means for urging the same radially outward with respectto the die-head structure, so as to release the toothed inner end ofeach chaser from the work when the die-head is tripped, in the manner aswill hereinafter appear. For the purpose just described, each Chaser 24is provided with a rearwardly-projecting pin 51 engaged by the end wallof a cup-shaped plunger 58, which latter is pressed outwardly by ahelical chaser-retracting spring 59 located, together with the saidplunger, in a radial pocket 6U, one Vof which latter is formed in thehead-portion 22 of the body-member 20 just rearwardly of each of thechaser- 25 receiving slots 23 therein, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 8.

Let it be supposed that the parts are in the positions in which they areindicated in Fig. 3, and that the die-head is being threaded over thework, or the work is being threaded intoV the diehead, so that the workultimately abuts against* the forward face of the tripping-plunger 48 toforce the latter rearwardly into the die-head and correspondingly movethe tripping-sleeve 49, which is coupled to the tripping-plunger 48 bymeans of the set-screw 59 before described.

The rearward movement of .the tripping-plunger 48 and tripping-sleeve 40as just above described will compress the spring 43 and also 40 causethe cam-surface 42 of the said trippingsleeve to act with a cam-likeaction upon the cam-surface 36 of the latch-member 34, with the effectof forcibly pulling the same inwardly against the tension of its springs44 to disengage 45 the forward outer corner of the latch-member from thelatching-shoulder or abutment 3l. The disengagement of the latch-memberfrom the latching-shoulder 31 as just described will per- Y.mit the unitcomprising the Chaser-operating sleeve 28and the adjusting-ring 29 tomove rearwardly under the urge of the retracting-springs 38 and permitthe chasers 24 each to be moved outwardly by its complementarychaser-retracting spring 59. The parts will now have assumed thepositions in which they are shown in Fig. 4, preparatory to being resetinto the positions shown in Fig. 3 by a relative forward movement of theChaser-operating sleeve 28 with respect to the body-member 20 to cam thechasers 24 in- 60 wardly into their cutting positions. The movement,just referred to, of the sleeve 28 may be effected by a suitableabutment upon the machine in which the die-head is being used, ifdesired.

In the course of adjusting the tripping-plunger 48 longitudinally toregulate the length of thread cut upon the work, it is often desirableto be able to trip the die-head from the outside thereof. This trippingmay be effected by inserting a suitable polygonal wrench in the socket52 of the set-screw 59 and drawing rearwardly thereupon with the effectof correspondingly moving the tripping-sleeve and effecting theretraction of the latch-member 34, etc., in the same manner aspreviously described. ,15

By mounting the latch-member 34 in the bodymember 20 itself in aposition intermediate the tripping-sleeve 40 and the adjusting-ring 29or equivalent part of the chaser-operating sleeve, a direct action issecured which minimizes lost motion and which will withstand longperiods of harsh use.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than that hereinset forth without departing from the spirit and essentialcharacteristics of the invention, and the present embodiment is,therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalencyrange of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

1. A self-opening die-head comprising a bodyor mounting-member having anaxial bore therein and a latch-guiding passage intersecting both thesaid bore and the outer periphery of the body-member, the saidbody-member being provided with means for rigidly attaching it to thespindle of a threading-machine; chasers movably carried by the saidbody-member; a chaseroperating member movable on the exterior of thesaid body-member to eiect the movement of the said chasers and having alatching-abutment in its interior; a tripping-member axially movablewithin the bore of the said body-member; and a latch-member movableinwardly and outwardly in and guided by the latch-guiding passage of thesaid body-member and held by the walls of said passage againstdisplacement longitudinally of the body-member, the said latch-memberbeing interposed in a radial direction directly between the saidtripping-member in the interior of the body-member and the saidchaseroperating member on the exterior of the bodymember, the saidlatch-member having its outer portion engageable with thelatching-abutment of the said chaser-operating member and havingcam-like coaction with the -said tripping-member in the interior of thebody-member.

2. A self-opening die-head comprising a bodyor mounting-member having anaxial bore therein and a latch-guiding passage intersecting both thesaid bore and the outer periphery of the body-member, the saidbody-member being provided With means for rigidly attaching it to thespindle of a threading-machine; chasers movably carried by the saidbody-member; a Chaser-operating member movable on .the exterior of thesaid body-member to eiect the movement of the said chasers andcomprising two relatively-adjustable cylindrical parts, one of whichlatter is provided in its interior with a latching-abutment; atripping-member axially movable within the bore of the said body-member;and a latch-member movable inwardly and outwardly in and guided by thelatch-guiding passage of the said body-member and held by the walls ofsaid passage against displacement longitudinally of the body-member, thesaid latchmember being interposed in a radial direction directly betweenthe said tripping-member in the interior of the body-member and the saidChaser-operating member on the exterior of the body-member, the saidlatch-member having its outer portion engageable with thelatchingabutment of the said Chaser-operating member and having cam-likecoaction with the said tripping-member in the interior of the saidbodymember.

3. A self-opening die-head comprising a bodyor mounting-member having anaxial bore therein, a clearance-passage, and a latch-guiding passage,both intersecting the said bore and the outer periphery of thebody-member, the 5 said body-member being provided with means forrigidly attaching it to the spindle of a threading-machine; chasersmovably carried by the said body-member; a Chaser-operating membermovable on the exterior of the said body-mem- 10 ber to eiect themovement of the said chasers and having a latching-abutment in itsinterior;

a tripping-sleeve axially movable within the bore of the saidbody-member; a tripping-plunger mounted in and axially adjustable withrespect 15 to the said tripping-sleeve; a latch-member movable inwardlyand outwardly in and guided by the latch-guiding passage of the saidbodymember and held by the walls of said passage against displacementlongitudinally of the body- 20 member, the said latch-member beinginterposed in aradial direction directly between the saidtripping-member in the interior of the body-member and the saidChaser-operating member on the exterior of the body-member, the 25 saidlatch-member having its outer portion engageable with thelatching-abutment of the said Chaser-operating member and havingcam-like coaction with the said tripping-sleeve in the interior of thebody-member; and couplingmeans threaded into the said tripping-sleeveand extending outwardly through the clearance-passage in the saidbody-member in position for manipulation from the exterior of thedie-head and serving to adjustably connect the said tripping-plunger.with the said tripping-sleeve.

4. A self-opening die-head comprising a bodyor mounting-member having anaxial bore therein, a clearance-passage, and a latch-guiding passage,both intersecting the said bore and the outer periphery of thebody-member, the said body-member being provided with means for rigidlyattaching it to the spindle of a threadingmachine; chasers movablycarried by the said body-member; a Chaser-operating member movable onthe exterior of the said body-member to effect the movement of the saidchasers and having a latching-abutment in its interior; atripping-sleeve axially movable within the bore ofthe said body-member;a tripping-plunger mounted in and axially adjustable with respect to thesaid tripping-sleeve; a latch-member movable in and guided by thelatch-guiding passage of the said body-member and heldrby the walls ofsaid passage against displacement longitudinally of the body-member, thesaid latchmember having its outer portion engageable with thelatching-abutment of the said Chaser-operating member and havingcam-like coaction with the said tripping-sleeve in the interior of thebody-member; a coupling-screw threaded into the said tripping-sleeve andextending outwardly through the clearance-passage in the said bodymemberin position for manipulation from the exterior of the die-head andserving to adjustably connect the said tripping-plunger with the saidtripping-sleeve; and a guard-slide on the exterior of the saidbody-member and perforated for the reception of the outer end of thesaid coupling-screw, with which latter it moves longitudinally of thedie-head.

ALBERT F. BREITENSTEIN.

